Kome:Started reading the series in 9th grade, about 13 years ago. Since then, I read the entire series (at least, what's available) about once a year. On the whole it's damn good, even if there are some serious bad spots that are like a chore to get through.

I stopped reading this series somewhere in book 6 or so when I realized I could open any of the previous books to any random point and I probably wouldn't know what was going on or who half the characters were.

Na, she had her hair chopped off in one of the last two books, so now she just wants to tug on the braid all the time.

redmond24: I was going to start the series when I finished ASOIAF until I heard the original author died and another is picking up the pieces.I don't feel like I'd be reading true canon if I picked the series up. GRRM says all the time he knows what happens in the end, but not how it happens. I can't imagine we'd be getting the same product Jordan would deliver.I could be wrong though. If I were reading it since the 90s then I'd get it just for some amount of closure. But I don't think I'll pick it up unless the reviews are really, really good.

Robert Jordan knew his time was nearly up and prepared for it by leaving copious notes. Plus the new author is very good in his own right; the last two books that were penned by Brandon Sanderson have been an improvement over the last few RJ penned books. A big improvement.

I should have my copy tomorrow when I get home. Finally get this series completed and move on.

Sanderson needs to crank out the next Stormlight Archive book soon, The Way of Kings was excellent, had one of the most awesome and surprising endings, and looking forward to finding out more about his entire metaverse as the links are starting to be even clearer.

Andric:tillerman35: I know there are people out there desperately wishing there could be another Wheel of Time book and that the series could somehow come to a conclusion. But there won't. And it won't. Ever.

What hooked me with the first book was that Lan was awesome and I had a crush on Moiraine.

Both characters sorta fell to the wayside and we were stuck with the kids who I never really felt were characters. I stopped reading around book 6 or something. You can only read so much plot with no characters for so long before it becomes masochistic.

HotWingAgenda:I was up way too late the other night reading through endless blogs and literary reviews trying to figure out what the big deal is with this series. I have a couple of friends that are obsessed with it, and this book in particular, but they've never been able to explain what they like about it, or even what it's about. Other than "fantasy" or "it's like Lord of the Rings but not".

And that troubles me, because I grew up reading fantasy, and these friends otherwise have the same taste in books as I do.

Primarily nostalgia. Remember, the first book came out in 1990 or so. If you remember what high fantasy written in the '70s/'80s was like, which I know you do because no fantasy reader reads exclusively new shiat, you'll maybe realize what a relief it was to finally get a book that took the material seriously, but wasn't particularly pretentious, whereas even bad sci-fi was more legitimate as actual literature than even good fantasy beforehand.

Basically fantasy in the decade leading up to WoT was either hopelessly pretentious, outright comedy, or written entirely for the purpose of setting up a new scene to spray-paint on the side of someone's van. WoT was, at the time, something of a breath of fresh air in the genre, though once people realized they were allowed to do real stories with it again, it was rapidly dethroned as the new king of the genre.

And people are going to read the last one because, hell, they've gone through all the shiat books between 5 and where sanderson took over, and then like 4 more, so no reason to stop now.

had98c:Some of the stuff in these books really point to the series being a kinky sexual fantasy outlet for RJ. Examples include women controlling other women via a collar and chain, overt lesbianism in school (pillow friends in the Tower, especially with Novices/Apprentices), an arch enemy that kills people by overloading them with feelings of sexual pleasure, a main character that openly declares his love for three women at the same time AND THEY'RE ALL COOL WITH IT.

Besides all that nonsense, it's a pretty good story overall.

Then I recommend you never read the Sword of Truth books by Terry Goodkind.

I stopped with the series when the story got insufferably dull and stuck in quicksand and I only really wanted to follow one plot line and that one became the author's domination/spank fantasy. Really don't like how he treated his women.

NobleHam:LockeOak: I stopped reading this series somewhere in book 6 or so when I realized I could open any of the previous books to any random point and I probably wouldn't know what was going on or who half the characters were.

At a certain point you have to accept that you're never going to know who all of the characters are. There are probably around 100 who matter, and 1900 who are interchangeable with other characters of their type (Maiden/Aes Sedai/Two Rivers person/etc.) and therefore don't need to be remembered.

I'm pretty excited. I think Sanderson's been better than Jordan was for his last few books. Book 4's still the best, but 12 and 13 were much better than 7-11. I am a little worried though. After so many years waiting, I dunno that any ending to the series can be satisfying.

I agree, Sanderson has done very well with 12 and 13.

I started reading them at age fourteen on the recommendation of a friend, when there were only 2. He did well, releasing one per year.. Then it stretched to two years, and then three, and my heart knew terror.. RJ would be hit by a bus or something, and I would forever suffer from the literary equivalent of blue balls.

So you know, even if Sanderson grips a little too hard and my orgasm feels a little forced, at least, by the Light, it will be done.

Besides, I about popped at Dumai's Wells, and when Rand cleansed Saidin, and then later when the Aes Sedai finally, grudgingly accept, and then learn to respect men who can Channel as Warders.

LockeOak:I stopped reading this series somewhere in book 6 or so when I realized I could open any of the previous books to any random point and I probably wouldn't know what was going on or who half the characters were.

At a certain point you have to accept that you're never going to know who all of the characters are. There are probably around 100 who matter, and 1900 who are interchangeable with other characters of their type (Maiden/Aes Sedai/Two Rivers person/etc.) and therefore don't need to be remembered.

I'm pretty excited. I think Sanderson's been better than Jordan was for his last few books. Book 4's still the best, but 12 and 13 were much better than 7-11. I am a little worried though. After so many years waiting, I dunno that any ending to the series can be satisfying.

It's the moment fantasy fans have been waiting for (really!): After more than 20 years, the death of the authorand 13 doorstopper volumes, the last book in the best-selling Wheel of Time series comes out Tuesday. Martin fans seen looking around nervously